India’s youngest sports hero Neeraj Chopra was the toast of the evening when Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, his predecessor Kiren Rijiju and Nisith Pramanik (MoS Home Affairs) congratulated the country’s Olympians in a grand ceremony at the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi.
Neeraj Chopra was bullied by fans and VIPs as soon as he landed at the IGI airport in the capital. Neeraj then shared his thoughts on winning the gold medal before delivering an important message to everyone in the audience.
“Thanks to everyone for their support. This gold medal is not only valid for the whole nation, but for the whole nation. I’ve been walking around in my pocket with it ever since.
“Since then, I haven’t been able to eat or sleep properly, but everything feels good when I look at it,” said Neeraj.
Indian Olympic Champion Honor Ceremony: Highlights
India today photo
Neeraj became only the second individual Olympic champion from independent India. He put an end to India’s 13-year wait for the national anthem at the Olympic Games award ceremony. The 23-year-old Panipat showed his self-confident best time when he blew away the rest of the field in the men’s javelin final.
“The competition was really tough, but you should never be afraid to look at your opponents. Just give 100% and don’t be afraid of anyone.
“When I threw the javelin for the second time, I thought it would be my best attempt. My back and shoulders ached the next morning after the event,” said Neeraj Chopra, who was the last athlete to be congratulated, to a loud applause.
India today photo
Neeraj, who stepped into the limelight with his junior world record, was one of the most consistent players in India on the greatest sports stages. After completing the Commonwealth Games Double and the Asian Games Double in 2018, Neeraj overcame injury setbacks and limitations from the Covid-19 pandemic to pursue his dream of winning the Olympic gold.
Contrary to what we’ve seen in the past, Neeraj didn’t seem to feel the pressure of an Olympic final. Its prey was intact. In the qualifying round, Neeraj sent a warning to the rest of the field. He came, threw 86.64 m, packed his bags and left.
PTI photo
In the final, Neeraj stunned the field with a 87.03 m throw in the first attempt. The supercharged India ran down the track for his second attempt, topping his mark at 87.58 m and raising his arms in delight, knowing he’d done something special.
In the end it was the winning throw when Neeraj celebrated with the flag around his shoulders in the Olympic Stadium. India returned with 7 medals, their best record to date at the Games, and Neeraj made it special by giving the country a gold medal on the last day of the campaign.
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